Chinese electronics corporation Roborock introduced the small washing and drying machine 'M1' aimed at single and couple households in the Korean market at the end of last year. With domestic electronics corporations such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics dominating the mid-to-large washing and drying machine market, the M1 is a new product targeting a niche market. To satisfy the curiosity about whether Roborock, which is leading the domestic robot vacuum cleaner market, can also produce washing and drying machines well, I personally tried the product.
As a product aimed at single and couple households, the most noticeable feature is its size. An adult male with a height of 175 cm can hold it in his arms with his arms stretched wide open. It can be installed in relatively confined spaces such as a small studio or an officetel. The dimensions of the M1 are 428 mm in width and 512 mm in height.
Before checking the performance of the washing and drying machine, I first assessed its capacity. After placing two or three winter sports outfits in it, the space was filled. Using thick towels as a standard, I found the space insufficient after putting in about three items, and five pieces of underwear did not fit as well. This may be somewhat inconvenient for adults who sweat a lot in summer or for those who frequently do laundry due to their job. However, if utilized as a special washing and drying machine for infants, pets, or café cleaning cloths, it is at an appropriate level. The official capacity of the washing and drying machine is 1 kg for washing and 0.5 kg for drying.
I checked the most important performance of the washing and drying machine. I placed everyday clothes and kitchen towels that had foreign substances on them into the machine and ran a regular washing and drying cycle. Except for a very faint stain from kimchi soup that had been there for 2 to 3 days, the items were generally cleaned and dried neatly. It left the impression that it would have been perfect to use during my time as a student living in a small studio, worrying about clothes not drying during the rainy season or in areas without sunlight. The Roborock washing and drying machine offers a total of 20 customized washing functions, including for underwear, infant care, boiling wash, and spin-drying.
The problem identified through performance checks was that clothing made of cotton showed excessive wrinkling compared to domestic corporations' dryers. I poured dark coffee concentrate onto a white cotton t-shirt and proceeded with a wash and drying cycle, including boiling mode. Although the coffee concentrate was faded to a certain extent, the clothing became excessively wrinkled after drying, requiring ironing to smooth it out. Consideration should be given to the potential for inter-floor noise when placing the product directly on the floor without protective materials due to substantial vibrations relative to its size.
The launch price is 749,000 won. Considering that the one-person washing and drying machines offered by domestic small and medium-sized electronics companies are priced under 500,000 won, this is somewhat expensive. However, it is attractive that it not only provides washing and drying functions but also offers 20 customized washing options depending on the type of clothing and situation, and that the product can be controlled via the Roborock app.